Silence
by Sinsupplywriter
Summary: Cat Noir is giving up on ladybug. Rejection after rejection. Can a certain dark haired designer comfort him in his time of need? More chapters coming. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Silence is deafening. Silence is easily changed, by breathing and by footsteps. By late night tapping on window panes. Silence was dangerous and welcomed all at the same time.

The small bedroom was dark and quiet, only the soft ruffle of bedsheets, the glow of the Parisian moon bathing the soft curves of the girls hips and waist as she lay under the white duvet. The sight was wonderful. More wonderful than the spying cat would care to admit. He could make out the contour of her nose and eyes, and the gentle slope of her thighs as she shifted, bringing herself further into the comfort of the mattress. She was beautiful, he decided. Absolutely stunning. His mind wandered to the lady who had rejected him so many times, but he was quickly brought home by the girl just on the other side of the glass.

He wanted her. He wanted to be near her. No, he needed to be near her. His knuckles rapped against the window, followed by the sound of bed springs squeaking.

"Cat Noir?" she questioned while rubbing her eyes. "Can I come in? Please?" he might be a sneak, but he was still a gentleman.

She nodded, stepping back to allow him in. They studied each other for a moment, taking in the mature angles of the others face, examining new freckles, new eyes and new expressions.

She looked beautiful at this angle, the light from outside resting on the right side of her face. Her hair was down, spilling over her shoulders and resting just above the crescent of her full waist.

"I couldn't sleep. I wanted to see you." He brushed a strand of black out of her eyes, his hand coming down to cup her chin, lifting it so she could see him. Had she always been so pretty? Or had he been blinded by his love for his spotted companion? Most likely a mixture of both he decided.

"Is something wrong?" he shook his head. There were many things wrong. Like how much he had missed her when he wasn't around. " I just haven't seen you in a while. I've had so much going on." He smiled up at her as he took a seat in her computer chair. "I missed you too kitty." She offered him a sleepy grin and took a seat opposite him on her bed.

They were silent for a second, basking in the simple pleasure of being around each other. The two nineteen year olds were content in the darkness of the small room, the only light coming from the small window and the blink of the alarm clock on her bedside table.

2:19 A.M

The minutes ticked by as they began to discuss everything and anything. He scooted closer to her, drawn to her by some invisible pull. He didn't stop himself. From getting close enough to see the freckle right under her collarbone, or the stray eyelash stuck to her cheek. He reached up to brush it away with his thumb, the silence of the night coating them once more.

"I never knew your eyes were this blue." He breathed softly, setting his hand against her cheek, she leaned into his touch.

"Come here." She sighed and pulled him to sit beside her on the bed. Her close proximity was suffocating to him as ladybug was pushed farther away from his thoughts. He could smell her, hear the thrum of her heart beneath the fabric of her night shirt. He could see the tint fanning over her face. He wanted to feel her, and taste her.

"Can I kiss you?" he finally asked, not waiting for a reply as he pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth. "Please." She whispered back, her words swallowed by him as their lips collided in a messy and imperfect embrace.


	2. Chapter 2

The bakery was busy as Marinette walked through the door, the bell jingling above her head.

"Did you get the eggs?" her father glanced up from the pastries he was icing.

"Yes, papa." The bag sat down with a soft thunk on the counter beside him. "Louis told me to tell you that they're having a sale on milk and butter next week. He said he would save some just for you." The man nodded and reached up a hand to brush flour from his forehead, his hands working feverishly to paint delicate flowers on the tops of each of the baked goods.

"I'm going to change and I'll be back down to help"

The stairs squeaked under her feet. The aged railing was rough under her fingers as she made her way up to her bedroom. She discarded her shirt and leggings , slipping into a tank top and cloth shorts. It was sunny outside. Marinette had barely noticed the seasons slipping by. It was early summer, and in Paris, it felt that way. The young woman glanced out the window, pushing it open and hoping to let in as much fresh air as possible.

It had been almost two weeks since Cat Noir had kissed her. Nothing else had happened because it had been late after all. Yet she could still smell him, and the taste of him refused to leave her lips.

"Marinette? Would you mind coming downstairs to help? We just got an order in and your father will need help." Her mothers' voice floated through the floorboards.

"Yeah Mom I'm on my way" she replied and turned away from the window that somehow now held so many memories. He had only been back once and hadn't stayed for more than a few moments to check up on her. Not once had his hands touched her or her lips been pressed against his. She found herself longing for him to be next to her, satisfying an empty feeling that only left when he chased it off.

The hours ticked by while the family of three worked. The customers began dwindling, the shelves picked almost clean of sweets and baked bread. Sabine stood at the counter while counting the money in the drawer while her daughter and husband wiped down and cleaned the tiny kitchen. "Well, today was wonderful. Thank you for all your help Marinette. Go ahead and go upstairs. I can handle the rest." Tom beamed at her, turning away without leaving room for protest.

The sun was beginning to set when Marinette finally made it out onto her balcony. The warm breeze was welcome after being in a stuffy bakery. Her hands' reached up, removing the ponytail and letting her hair drape down her back like a thick, dark curtain. She didn't know why she missed the mangy cat so much. Why did he get to her so much when she knew that she cared for someone else?

_Because the person you've been rejecting him for doesn't love you_

She cursed at the nagging voice in the back of her mind. It was right though, perhaps that's why she didn't like it. Adrien was everything she dreamed of. Smart, witty, confident, sweet. But he barely looked her way. Cat Noir was all the things Adrien was. The only difference was that Cat reciprocated those long-held feelings. At least she thought he did.

She looked forward to his far and few between visits. She looked forward to his stupid cat puns and the goofy grin that spread over his face when they conversed about everyday mundane life. Especially when he talked about his friends and his kwami, Plagg. She didn't want for him to have this strong pull on her. But he did. He was intriguing, she could at least admit that.

She sat on the lounge chair for what felt like hours as she watched the sun dip behind the buildings and the stars fanning across the sky. She loved the quiet, even if it was a little lonely at times. She savored the not so chaotic moments that she had to herself. The moments not spent in a crowded bakery or on the streets of Paris fighting those who had allowed negative emotions to consume them. She glanced at her watch, standing up. She had to go on patrol tonight even though she desperately wanted to stay home and wait for the green-eyed cat to make a short but much-welcomed appearance.

She took the long way this time, delaying the eventual long and lonesome hours she would spend watching and waiting for anything interesting to happen. She couldn't help the way her mind wandered off once more. There was nothing else to do but think. No books or emerald-eyed boys to keep her entertained.

She stopped finally on a covered ledge and allowed herself to sink to the floor, crossing her legs and simply waiting.

She had to remind herself. Cat Noir had kissed Marinette. Not Ladybug. He had technically wrapped those strong arms around Marinette's waist. Not hers. Her chin rested against her palm as her shift drifted so slowly along. She wanted something. Something she wasn't quite ready to admit yet.

But possibly, just maybe, Marinette Dupain-Cheng had fallen for Cat Noir. It was as simple as that. She had been distancing herself from the unobtainable boy that had been witness to so many screw-ups. She was comfortable with Cat in a way she had never been with Adrien. She could be herself around him and not stutter or even worse, fall. She could be Marinette. Not just the clumsy girl that had sat behind him in class or the one that once made him a scarf that he didn't know was from her. She compared the two over and over again in her head. She listed the things Cat Noir had done, and Adrien hadn't.

The realization dawned on her slowly, the thought interrupted by someone clearing their voice. She turned to look over her shoulder, eyeing the fashionably late feline companion she had overlooked all these years. It took five years.

But Marinette had a crush on Cat Noir.

And she was positively screwed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Good evening Milady. You look purrfect tonight." He grinned as he looked down at her. She rolled her eyes, standing to look at him. He was taller than she was, and she realized this with their close proximity. Too close.

Her eyes left his and she cleared her throat, allowing herself to put some distance between them. The heat radiating off of him made it difficult. "Always with the cat puns. Aren't we getting too old for that kitty?" she giggled, the sound radiating through his chest and resting somewhere deep in the pit of his stomach, in a spot only she used to be able to.

He thought of Marinette and her soft skin, her sweet smell and her even sweeter taste. Ladybug hadn't been the only one keeping the feline up at night.

"Distracted?" the girl standing in front of him hummed softly, the question getting lost in the still warm night. He couldn't help but nod and plop down, Ladybug following right behind him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He couldn't look at her. He fiddled with the ring on his finger as he thought of what to say. "There's this girl.." He finally admitted, crimson washing over his cheeks and nose, the warmth of the thought of the sweet girl crashing over him like ocean waves.

A sound left his spotted counterpart that he hadn't heard in a while. A low sigh that barely met his ears. Jealousy? No. he shook his head, not allowing his hopes to soar like they have for the last few years.

_She doesn't love you. If she had there wouldn't be another girl. It would be her. _

He felt guilty for his thoughts even if they were true. If Ladybug had ended up loving him he wouldn't be developing feelings for Marinette now. He would have loved Ladybug. He would have followed her to the ends of the earth. He would have spent the rest of his life making a fool of himself just to hear her laugh and just to see that bright, beautiful smile of hers. He was a fool for following her for so long and not seeing the girl that had been right in front of him the entire time. She sat behind him in most of his classes for cheese's sake.

"Are you going to sit there or are you going to tell me about her?" she broke the uncomfortable silence stretching between them.

And so he did.

He told her about Marinette. He never used her name, but he did talk about her. About how blue her eyes are, how sweet the smell of her shampoo is. He told Ladybug about how soft her skin was and about how the faint freckles that dusted her chest and face drove him absolutely mad. He couldn't stop talking about the bakers daughter who loved fashion, and loved the people around her even more. He told her about the way Marinettes' hands touched him so delicately in a way he hadn't been before. The world around Adrien Agreste had been callous and sometimes cruel. Marinette was his safe space, his soft spot to land whenever he needed her. She had been there more than his own father.

"She sounds special." Ladybug spoke after a moment of silence.

"She is." He responded.

"Do you want to be with her?"

"I don't know. I've loved someone else for so long. This girl seems like she wants to be with me. I think she does. I just don't want to give up on the other girl that I've gotten so close to-" He was cut off by her fingers lacing through his. She turned to face him, her eyes both sad and happy at the same time. Those accepting pools of blue bore into him.

"I want you to be happy." She started, bringing her hand to his mouth when he opened it to speak. "You're my best friend Cat Noir. You know more about me than anyone else does. Even though you haven't seen the girl hiding behind the mask. You've always been there even when I didn't need you." She stopped to run her finger along his jawline. She knew having this talk with him was the only way for them to both get what they craved. Love and comfort.

"Milday?" he couldn't look away from her. He just couldn't.

"Cat Noir." A shaky sigh left her lips. "I'm making the decision to let you go."


	4. Chapter 4

He couldn't help the way his heart both sunk and leapt at her words.

Letting him go implied that he had once been hers. He sighed and leaned his hand into the palm that rested on his cheek. He felt free in some sense. It was sad to fall out of love. But he decided it was worse to be in love with someone who didn't love you.

They stayed like that for a while, basking in one another's presence. He couldn't bear to remove her hand from his flamed skin.

"I think I'll always love you bugaboo"

"And you'll always be my kitty."

Adrien lay still and silent, staring longingly at his ceiling. The early morning sky bathed his room in orange as the sun crept higher and higher. He needed to get up, he just really, _really _didn't want to. Plagg lay beside him on his pillow, the kwami snoring softly, unaware of the war behind his keepers eyes.

Ladybug had let him go. She had freed him to love whoever he pleased. So why did he feel so guilty every time the sweet fashion designer crossed his mind?

A groan left his lips as he sat upright and placed his feet on the cool hardwood.

Marinette. He thought about her smile, her hair. Those eyes that he got lost in every time he looked for too long. He thought about the curve of her lips and the way his thumb had pressed against her hipbone beneath her pajama top the other night.

He needed a cold shower.

The young man paced in front of his bathroom mirror. He studied his own reflection, his expression critical. Could she love him without the mask? Could she even try? Or would Marinette feel the same was about Adrien that Ladybug felt about Cat Noir. His fingers ran through his hair, tugging at the ends in frustration. He couldn't help but consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Marinette didn't want him either.

She did always run away from him after all.

He just had to see her.

The Dupain-Cheng household was busy, at least for the most part. Marinette rolled over on to her side, staring out the window. She thought about Cat Noir. The way his touch warmed her skin, the way her heart raced whenever he looked at her with those green eyes. She groaned softly and sat up, resting her chin against her hand.

"What's the matter?" Tikki floated in front of her holders face. The Kwami looked concerned at Marinettes distressed state.

"Nothing really. I'm just confused."

"About what?"

"I've been in love with Adrien for so long. Or I felt like I did. But now Cat Noir has been there for me through everything recently. He's my partner and my best friend. How do I knowthat I'm not pointlessly chasing someone again? What if it ends up exactly like it did with Adrien?" she pushed her fingers through her loose hair, pulling it into a bun at the nape of her neck.

"I think the only way for you to know is by talking to him! You'll never know if you don't ask! Besides _he _kissed _you _the other night, remember?"

Marinette nodded. She didn't know if she could face him or if she could handle another rejection. Her heart just couldn't take someone else not loving her back.

Not again.

A tap on the window startled her out of her thoughts, Tikki zipping away. Cat Noir smiled at her and she couldn't help the grin that ghosted her lips as she stood up to let him inside.

"Good morning purrincess"

"Good morning kitty." She stared up at him, his scent invading her nose and overtaking her other senses. His eyes pinned her to where she stood, his hand reaching up to brush against her cheek.

"I missed you." He pulled her against his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and settling his chin on the top of her head. She released a shaky breath she didn't even know she had been holding until now. She felt comfort in his grasp, his fingers trailing up and down her spine and sending shivers throughout her body.

"Can we talk?" She finally spoke. He nodded, his expression difficult to read.

They sat side by side on her bed, the silence stretching between them like sweet bubblegum. The words refused to come to her. She didn't know how to begin what she was about to tell him.

"I haven't seen you in a while." She settled for the safe route. There was no way he could get upset about that. "Yeah I've been busy. Work and being a super hero isn't always easy."

_Me too _

The statement rested on the back of her tongue and begged to be spoken aloud to end the torture. But she kept them in, reaching out to grab Cat Noirs hand and pull it to rest on her lap.

"Is everything alright?" She nodded slowly.

"Do you like me?" She finally blurted and brought her hand up to her mouth, tracing her finger over the cupids bow of her full upper lip. He made a shocked sound, squeezing her hand for a moment before sighing.

"I would be crazy not to like you Marinette." She could feel the warmth radiating off of him as he leaned in closer, leaning his head against her shoulder and settling a kiss beneath her ear. She shuddered at the affection.  
"In what way do you like me?" she could already tell but she had to hear it from him.

"I like everything about you. You're selfless, sweet, caring, welcoming. You're always so eager to help me and make me feel better after a bad day. You're my favorite person Marinette. Hands down you're one of the most important people in my life. And I mean that." She stared at the floor, refusing to meet his intense stare.

"Come here." He reached out for her, guiding her to sit on his lap. "I want you Marinette. In every way that you'll have me." They were so close. If she just leaned forward a tiny bit..

He closed the gap between him, pressing his lips against hers. Her body was electrified by him. His presence overwhelmed her in the best way possible. This kiss was different than last time. It had more power, it had more force. It had more_ longing. _

"I want you in every way possible."


	5. Chapter 5

The kiss started gently, Cat Noirs hand crept up into her thick hair. His mouth grew rough as he leaned her head back, cradling it as he peppered kisses down her jaw bone and the column of her slender neck. His tongue lapped at her skin, drinking in the very essence of what was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. He wanted her. He craved the sweet, bubbly girl every second. He only just now had learned to admit it.

Marinette sighed when she felt his hands trail down her neck, over her shoulders and down her sides to grip her waist. She was so intoxicated by this. Intoxicated by _him_.

"Marinette." He stopped abruptly, pulling away to stare into the glazed pools of blue. "We can stop whenever you want. I don't want you to feel pressured. I know neither of us has very much experi-" she cut him off by closing the gap between them once more. Her heart beat faster at the kind and understanding words. She had waited five years for someone to give her the attention she yearned for. Cat Noir was here. Marinette trusted him. That was all there really was to it.

Cat Noir couldn't believe it. The girl who had run away from him all those years, the one that could barely hold a conversation with him, brought his bottom lip between her teeth. The sensation made him want to give in to his animalistic instincts, to take what was his. He knew this girl was inexperienced. He knew she probably hadn't had the thoughts that he had about ladybug. The ones where he ravaged her on a rooftop under the warm glow of the moon and the street lights. He had to wait. He had to wait for her.

He flipped them so Marinette lay on her back with her raven hair splayed beneath her like a halo. She was gorgeous. And she was most definitely all his.

He resumed the gentle assault of his mouth on her soft skin, grinning at the soft moan that left her lips when he met where her shoulder met her neck. His tongue swirled around the creamy skin, his hands edging themselves under her thin t-shirt. He tried oh so hard to imagine what she would feel like without the suit between them.

"Princess?" she looked up at him, a dazed expression washing over her face.

"Can I try something?" he placed a kiss on her jaw while he waited for her response.

"What is it?"

"I want to feel all of you." He stood, crossing the room to pull the curtain closed, enveloping the space in darkness. They could make out the outlines of each other's bodies, but not much else.

_Oh _

Marinette blushed. "Close your eyes." She complied only from the curiosity of what would come if she listened.

"Plagg, claws off." She could see the green flash from behind her eyelids followed by a small voice complaining about being tired. She smiled at the kwamis whines. After the room fell silent again she felt the bed dip from where Cat- or whoever he was- climbed onto the bed with her. He pushed his leg between her thighs, pressing his knee against her center. Marinette had never been touched this way. Not by anyone. She had dreamed about Adrien doing this to her too many times to count, but she never imagined that being so close to someone like this could feel so _good. _

"Remember just say the word and I'll stop" he repeated his earlier claim, tugging at the hemline of her top. She sat up to help him remove it, leaving her only in a thin t-shirt bra. She followed suit and pulled his shirt up and over his head. Her small fingers grazed over his stomach. She could feel the muscles twitching beneath his burning skin. Her nails left tiny scratches in their wake.

She wanted him closer. He seemed to read her mind as he leaned down to capture her lips with his.

Her mind raced at all the possibilities of what was about to happen. Sex? Or would they just kiss? Her stomach fluttered at the thought of losing her virginity to the masked hero. She felt a tightening in her lower half at the thought of Cat doing the things she had always thought about in her head about Adrien.

"Please touch me." She begged softly. He chuckled quietly at the girls' eagerness. He held his own want in check, not wanting her to see just how badly she was getting to them. The growing bulge in his pants contradicted his thoughts.

His thoughts were scattered when he reached down to untie her shorts and pull them to her ankles, her feet kicking them off to some unknown spot on the floor. His jeans followed shortly after. There they were, two sculpted bodies, perfect from years of crime-fighting. The only thing between them was the thin cotton underwear they each wore. He settled himself between her legs, pressing torturously against her, moving his hips to illicit another sound of pleasure from the dark-haired vixen laying beneath him.

"Closer." She breathed and wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing him closer than he thought possible.

There was nothing gentle about Cat anymore. His mouth and fingers worked feverishly on her skin. He was fueled by the mewls falling from her mouth, all of which he swallowed as if she was the only thing keeping him alive, keeping him breathing.

Marinette's mind was clouded, a feeling coiling in her stomach as he continued to press into her. She wanted to feel him.

"Do you have protection?" she finally asked.

"Shit." She assumed that was a no.

"But I can still make you feel good princess" he purred softly, his hand moving between their hips to rub the spot that was sure to make her tremble. And tremble she did.

She had never felt this way before. Even when she did it herself it never felt quite like this. This feeling was exciting and new.

His fingers moved in slow circles, the tight spring deep in her belly ready to explode. If he would just keep going, a little faster, she knew she would be done for.

"Is this okay?" his other hand reached up, slithering beneath her bra. A sound of approval was all he wanted as his fingers kneaded the full hills of her breast, his thumb brushing over the bud of her nipple. Marinette gasped, her vision going white as she came undone for him. Only for him.

He held her as she returned from the high of her orgasm, her chest heaving beneath his hand. He pulled it down to cover her before moving to sit up.

"You're leaving?" her tone was laced with confusion. He had planned on it. He really had. But how could he when she sounded so sad at the thought of him disappearing once more.

"No. But I wish I could stay forever."


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette and Cat Noir danced around in feelings of comfort and uncertainty. Their encounters grew quicker, more feverish each time. Marinette's body opened up to him, allowing him to explore parts of her she wasn't even sure existed.

The air was warm and humid, clouds hanging above the citizens of Paris in a dark cloud. Alya sipped the coffee in front of her. The girls sat in the booth of a small café, chatting about their lives. They had barely seen one another since graduation. Alya had been hired at a small newspaper as an editor. She and Nino had gotten engaged, absolutely no one was surprised.

"We started looking at venues a couple weeks ago. We're aiming for spring of next year" the brown-eyed girl rambled while flicking through the binder on the table between them. She turned page after page of outdoor venues, cherry trees, flowers, rolling landscapes. Marinette was jealous of her friend though she felt guilty for thinking it.

"I hope my maid-of-honor is paying attention" Alya giggled, the bell on the café door jingling. Nino and Adrien entered, making their way over to sit beside the girls. Adrien was too close for comfort, the heat of his body and the scent of his cologne overwhelming her. She was getting over him slowly but surely. Even if he still got under her skin, Cat Noir was still hers, and she was still his.

"More wedding planning?" Nino raised his eyebrow at his fiancée and glancing down at the book. "Yes Nino, more wedding planning. Now that the two most important people are here, besides us, we can start. I want you two to be involved in the planning." She glanced at the blond and the raven-haired girl. They exchanged confused glances as Alya continued.

"Adrien, I want you to help Nino with the bachelor party, the flowers, some of the decorations. And Marinette, I have the most important task of all for you." She grinned and turned to one of the last pages of the binder. "I want you to make my wedding dress." The gown was simple in shape, an A-line dress with quarter length sleeves and a long beaded veil. It was simple, but the idea of sewing a wedding dress made Marinette anxious her fingers curled against her palms just thinking of the ways she could possibly screw this up.

"I think my father has some fabric you can use for it." Adrien leaned over, his minty breath fanning her cheek. Her heart leaped and the guilt tugged at her brain for the thoughts that floated around. She shoved them away and focused on the people in front of her. "Awesome!" Alya squealed. "I was thinking lace over a really light nude color. I think it adds a little something to the whole look, don't you?"

Marinette nodded, pulling the design from the binder and tucking it away into her purse to look at later.

"We should really get going. We have to run by the shop before going home." the couple stood up while gathering their things. Goodbyes were said, hugs were given before Adrien and Marinette were left completely by themselves.

"Did you want to come to look at the fabric? If not that's okay." Adrien spoke from beside her. She sighed shakily before smiling up at him, looking into his green eyes. "Sure. Do we need to wait for your car driver?"

"Oh no, dad finally let me get my own car. I have grown up after all" he chuckled and fished his keys out of his shirt pocket. The sleek black car beeped when he pressed the button. Fancy.

The handle popped open in her hand and she slid into the passenger seat. The car was large on the inside, a lavish navigation screen blinking at the two. Marinette still didn't have a car. But she also didn't have a famous designer as a father.

The traffic was light as they made their way to the Agreste mansion. Natalie hardly glanced up from what she was doing as the two entered. Marinette followed behind him to his fathers' office. "Father?" he knocked on the thick wooden door. A muffled reply came before Adrien pushed the door open. The room-unlike the rest of the house- seemed to be in disarray. Fabric swatches, magazines, and crumpled designs were scattered around the counter lining the far wall, the large desk against the other wall seemed to be the exact same.

Marinette never imagined the office of Gabriel Agreste being so chaotic. It made her feel better about her own messy workspace.

"Can I borrow some fabric?" Adrien strolled over to his father, Marinette trailing her finger over a denim fabric swatch setting on top of a stylebook.

"Ready?" she jumped and turned to face him. His arms held a soft mauve fabric and a sheer lace, his eyes sparkled at her. She nodded before following him out of the office and up to his bedroom. Adrien had changed and so had his tastes.

Long gone was the basketball hoop and foosball table.

The walls were a deep grey, the furniture all neutral colors and angles. It looked like an adult lived here, not the Adrien she had known for the last five years. He was technically an adult, but still.

The blond took a seat on the couch and patted the spot next to him. She smiled nervously and sat down beside him, making sure to leave a few feet between them. Her heart thrummed beneath her skin and her mind raced as she spread out the dress design and fabrics in front of her.

"What's going on in that brain of yours?" he asked her after a moment of silence. She glanced up a pen between her teeth. "What do you mean?" he pushed his long hair away from his forehead before replying. "You. You're so focused. I want to know what you're thinking about Marinette."

"I'm thinking about how Alya shouldn't trust me with this." The girl huffed and crossed her legs, pulling the notepad she kept out of her purse and settling it on her knee.

"Why shouldn't she?"

"Because this is her _wedding dress_, Adrien. This is the only one she's going to get! Her kids will see these photos, her parents will see it, this will last a lifetime. If she doesn't like it what will she do? What will I do?" she rambled, clenching her jaw when Adrien placed his hand on top of hers. She wanted to simultaneously pull her hand away and lace her fingers through his. His presence was comforting, familiar to her. There was something familiar about the way his palm pressed against hers. She elected to ignore it for the sake of focusing on the task in front of them.

Her hand reluctantly left his to return to her pen and paper. Adrien sighed next to her. His body shifted to face her.

"Marinette.." he trailed off, his eyes refusing to meet hers.

"Yes?"

"There's something I need to tell you." Her heart sunk a little for some unknown reason.

"I'm.." he was cut off by the ringing in Marinette's bag. They jumped away, not realizing they had been leaning into each other. Her phone fell out of her purse sitting on the sofa next to her. She smiled sheepishly at her friend before answering the call and standing to put space between them.

Adrien took the opportunity to admire the girl he'd been seeing so much. Cat had been seeing so much, he reminded himself. He wanted to tell her so bad. He needed to. But somehow he couldn't bring himself to say the words.

_I'm Cat Noir and I love you Marinette. _

The sentence played over and over again at the back of his mine, looping and nearly driving him insane.

"I'm going to step out into the hall for a second." He looked up at her and nodded.

"Adrien! What's gotten into you?" Plagg darted in front of his boys' face, planting his tiny hands against his sides. His expression was angry, but Adrien knew better. "I want to tell her." He sighed quietly. "I really want to Plagg." The black kwami softened slightly. "You know I can't stop you from doing it. You're old enough to make your own decision. I just hope you know what you're doing kid." He stopped speaking, his eyes cast downward. Adrien followed his gaze to Marinette's purse, where a tiny set of Antennae peeked out.

He learned over slowly, his curiosity getting the better of him as he pulled the edge of the purse, causing it to fall over and a tiny red bug to tumble out, an angry look on its face.

Face?

He took a second glance at it. A kwami. There was a kwami staring back up at him.

"Adrien?" he heard a clatter and looked up to see Marinette, her phone on the floor at her feet, her eyes wide and mouth ajar.

"Ladybug?"


	7. Chapter 7

Marinettes' heart thumped against her ribcage, her eyes glancing back and forth between Tikki and Adrien. She had no words as the panic crept from her stomach up to her spine and settled itself in the back of her neck, nagging at her shoulder blades. What could she say? That she was holding Tikki for the real ladybug? Surely Adrien was much smarter than that.

"Are you ladybug?" he spoke slowly, his words driving the sense of dread deeper into her. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. It wasn't supposed to happen at all.

She was supposed to be the guardian, the protector of the miraculous. She was supposed to be so much more careful than this. If she couldn't stop her classmate from finding the Kwami in her bag, how was she supposed to protect the other seventeen?

She nodded after a moment for a lack of anything to say.

They sat in silence for a moment. Both of their minds raced. Hers panicking, his confused and happy. Marinette was Ladybug. Marinette was the girl he had loved for so long. She was also the one that had let him go, but for what? So he could have a relationship with her civilian form.

"This is Tikki." She said quietly, scooping the tiny spotted bug into her palm. Tikki looked up sheepishly at the girl and turning to stare back at the blond boy.

"Nice to meet you Tikki."

"Nice to meet you as well Adrien." The Kwami grinned. She seemed so formal. She was centuries-old after all. She and plagg were ancient.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. And if I'm being honest I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I've been the guardian for a few years but this has never come up. Cat Noir would never do this. He can be an idiot sometimes but he would never put the miraculous in jeopardy like this." Marinette settled Tikki back into her purse as she rambled. It was true. She had absolutely no clue what she was supposed to do. And there was no one to help her.

"What am I going to do?" she groaned, putting her face in her hands.

"Hey relax." He chose to ignore the comment about him being an idiot and comfort her instead. "I'm not going to tell anyone alright. I understand how important confidentiality is." His mind nagged at him to tell her, but another part of him wondered if she would be disappointed in him. She had been with Cat Noir, not Adrien. His face reddened as he thought about the things he had done to the sweet girl, who he now knew was the hero of Paris, only a few nights before then.

The clouds in the sky gave way, sending rain down onto the citizens roaming the streets, neither of the pair speaking. How fitting that the weather would be like this right now.

"Are you okay?" he decided to go first. The awkwardness was absolutely killing him.

She nodded. She was lying. How was she supposed to be okay? How was she supposed to be level-headed at a time like this? Her anxiety simmered at the edge, ready to be tipped over by anything less than pleasant. This wasn't Tikkis fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. This felt like a bad dream that she was oh-so ready to wake up from.

She let out a frustrated huff and stood, pacing the room. She felt angry. She felt anxious. She felt like a child who had done something wrong and was only waiting for her parents to find out. There was no one to punish her, to guide her. She had Tikki, she had access to many miraculous, but she didn't have a person. She had no mentor. _She _was the one that now had to mentor the miraculous holders, even though she didn't quite understand it herself. She plopped back down on the couch. She didn't even know what to do with herself.

"I wish I knew what to do to help." a hand reached over, placing itself on her knee. She would have been excited If she wasn't so nervous. "Thank you, I appreciate it." She did her best to smile at him.

It was now or never, he decided. He needed to tell her. It was perfect. Comforting her as her friend _and _lover as well as the partner she had trusted for so long. She would jump into his arms and hug him, saying that she was ecstatic that it was him. He could only hope. He was brought back to reality as Marinette stood and began to collect her things.

"I should really get going before it starts pouring out there." She gestured out the window, the rain plinking against the glass. "Alright, let me get my keys." He stood as well and walked over to his end table.

"You're driving me home?"

"Of course I am. Can't have ladybug walking home in the rain all by herself. The hero of Paris deserves better" he chuckled, Marinette giving him a weak laugh in return.

_Too soon Agreste _

The car ride was near dead silent, only Adrien asking if she was warm enough and the occasional direction. He took the long way, trying to work up the courage to tell her.

"Does Cat Noir know who you are?" his voice startled Marinette. She shook her head at him and turned to look out the window.

"No, he doesn't. It's not that I don't trust him. I certainly do. There are just so many factors. My guardianship, and the fact that it might get too messy. What if he doesn't like me?" the last part was barely louder than a whisper. It rattled him the way that the confident Ladybug was so different from the person sitting beside him. Maybe not so different, but the mask definitely gave her the edge of sass he had grown to love so much.

"I'm sure he would love you just the way you are. He loves Ladybug, right? Then he'll love you too." He already knew he loved her.

"He loves Ladybug. I doubt he would love the girl behind the mask." She zipped her purse as they pulled up in front of the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

"Marinette." He reached out to grab her wrist as she opened the car door.

She glanced back, her eyes wide at the contact.

He leaned over, pressing his lips timidly against hers. Her mouth was full of uncertainty, her lips turned down at the corners. She kissed back hesitantly. She felt like she knew these lips. like she had kissed and felt them before. He pulled away, his palm cupping her cheek and running his thumb along her soft skin.

"I love you Milady."

"Cat Noir?" she questioned, pulling away from him. He nodded, waiting for her reaction.

"Come inside." Her eyes softened, the confusion and panic still lapping at the edge of the blue irises.

"We have a lot to talk about."


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys! This story has been really fun for me to write and I'll continue to do so. I just ask that you have patience because I haven't written anything casual much less smutty in a long time. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Things get very heated in this one :)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was many things. Sweet, clumsy, driven. Marinette, however, wasn't prepared for the things today had given her.

Not only had it forced her to admit her secret identity to a boy she thought she had gotten over, but it had also brought him to reveal that he was the boy she had been getting so close to.

_That was Adrien in my bedroom the other night_

The dark-haired girl blushed at the thought and ushered him into the small bakery out of the rain. Sabine glanced up from her stool behind the register, a crossword puzzle book in front of her.

"Marinette! You should have warned me you would have company, I could have made some snacks!" She scolded her daughter while turning to gather a few pastries out of the display case.

This was taking too long. She smiled, taking the bag from her mother and pulling Adrien by the arm towards the staircase leading to the apartment.

"Going upstairs to work on some stuff! Thanks for the treats mom!"

She sighed and continued to make her way to her bedroom, the blind following shortly after.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Marinette hushed him as they crept past her father sleeping on the couch. "I don't know. I'm just as confused about all this as you." She finally answered and pushed open the door to her bedroom and sat the grease-soaked bag on her desk. Her fingers worked to undo the bun she'd pulled her hair into and let it fall down her shoulders. She removed her damp overshirt, settling for the dry tank top beneath.

"Can you turn around?" She questioned without looking in his direction.

"Nothing I haven't seen before My lady." He purred softly. No need to be coy now, seeing as he'd already done unspeakable things to her.

"Oh just turn around" she huffed and he complied with a chuckle. He studied the wall above her desk, the photos of him he had seen once long gone and replaced by magazine clippings, newspaper articles. There was a picture of the four of them. Alya, Nino, Marinette, and Adrien. A smile crossed his face as he removed the tack to bring the photo closer to him. He had his arm around Marinettes' shoulders, a longing look in her eyes as she stared up at him.

Had she always looked at him that way?

There was a sparkle of adoration in the pools of blue. Something he felt when he looked at Ladybug.

"Well let's talk." He turned to face her. She stood in front of him, her hair combed, dressed in a pair of leggings and a tank top with a thin jacket. She looked cute even after being out in the rain.

"You start" he took a seat in the computer chair. She chose to stand, her nerves too overworked to sit down.

"I'm the miraculous guardian." He nodded. He had been there. " my job is to protect the miraculous and their holders. I'm telling you now that even though it's not going to be simple that my duty to these miraculous comes first." She felt bad for the words. But she had been entrusted to protect the powers of creation and destruction for Pete's sake. How could it not come first? One wrong move and the whole planet was toast.

"Second, whatever relationship I have with you doesn't interfere with my work. Got that kitty? I love you but save the flirting for when you're not wearing the mask." She gave him a small smile to soften the things she was saying. He got it, he really did.

"Any questions?"

"No, ma'am. I'm just glad it's you Marinette. Thank god it wasn't Chloe" he stood back up and drew her body into his strong arms. She could hear his heartbeat and feel the warmth seeping into her cool skin. The nerves subsided and were replaced by a sense of calm. París was safe. Nothing was happening. She could allow herself to take this as it was.

Her small hands snaked around his waist, clasping behind his back and she leaned her head against his toned chest. It felt like puzzle pieces clicking perfectly into place. For once in five years of being a miraculous holder, things were beginning to make sense.

There they stood, the holder of creation and the holder of destruction, embracing while the Raines puttered on the roof, the city of Paris seemingly washed away by the storm. All that remained was pure and beautiful. It was them. The chemistry, the reaction that had been building up to an explosion had simmered down to ripples.

They pulled away after a moment to study each other's faces.

He leaned down to press his forehead against hers, his thumb coming up to brush a damp piece of hair out of her eyes.

"I thought you wouldn't like me." They spoke at the same time, the looks of surprise mirroring one another.

"How could I not like you Marinette? Are you kidding?" He sounded almost offended, pressing a finger against her lips when she opened them to speak.

" listen to me. You are the sweetest, gentlest, kindest person I know. You're everything I've dreamed about my lady being. More actually, because you're here, in front of me right now. There's no more hiding. No more masks. There's just me and you."

She leaned forward and kissed him, their true natures showing through. Marinette was timid and shy, while Adrien's lips overpowered hers. His feet moved backward, pulling her with him until his heels hit her bed, allowing him to sit down and pull her to straddle his lap. He cradled her head as his mouth moved slowly over her jaw to the sensitive skin beneath her ear, and down her neck to the slope of her collarbone. He could see her. All of her. The realization was exciting to him just as much as it was to her.

His free hand ran up her thigh to grip her hip in his large palm. She whines softly when he pulled away to remove his own jacket, the sound traveling straight to his crotch. He needed her and he needed her now.

He went slow for her sake, his impulsiveness and impatience shining through as his touch grew rougher and more frantic. It was as if he thought that if he didn't touch her now, in all the ways she wanted, she would simply disappear.

Her mind was fogged as their chests pressed together, the hand on her hip moving to squeeze her bottom. The small squeak of surprise was all he needed to know she had never been touched like that.

He stopped once more as he stopped to discard both his shirt and hers, leaving her in a pale pink bralette.

_Christ_

He swallowed roughly as he looked at her. Her face was red and her breathing heavy as he flipped them over and settled his hips between her open legs.

"Adrien." Her voice was breathy.

"Did you remember protection this time?"

He nodded and dipped his head back down to press his lips against her slender neck once more. She had dreamed about this moment for years and it was oh so worth the wait. He pulled at her leggings, Marinette lifting her hips off the bed to help him. Her underwear matched her bra. Pink lace.

This girl was going to be the end of Adrien Agreste, he just knew it. His own jeans soon joined the pile on the ground, both of them staring at each other, panting and completely out of breath.

" Are you sure?" He kissed her temple, the feverish feeling replaced by compassion. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak just yet.

"Marinette. Tell me. Yes or no" his demanding tone sent warmth spreading through her belly. It was so sexy.

"Yes." She hid her face with the frilly purple pillow she had pulled from near the headboard.

"Adrien." A whine fell from her kiss swollen lips as he continued to torture the girl, the rolling of his hips nearly making her come undone beneath him.

Not yet. He stopped his ministrations and reached under her to unclasp her bra. The straps slid down her shoulders and exposed her to the cool air. She looked delicious, he decided. Like a strawberry. Her face was almost as red as the suit she usually sported.

"Is this your first time?" He asked. "Yes." She replied and looked away from him.

"Me too" he shrugged. Her mouth opened slightly at his response. "Really?!"

"Ouch don't be so shocked." He teased her.

"What I really mean is both of us are going to figure this out together. You say the word and I'll stop okay?" He cupped her cheek and smiled.

She nodded, staring at him as his boxers were removed and his, ahem staff, came into view. Adrien was perfect in every way. Perfect grades, perfect face AND well endowed? Well, how was any guy supposed to compete?

He reached for his jeans, pulling a tin foil square from his wallet.

This was really happening.

The packet was quickly ripped open and discarded, Marinette making a mental note to throw it out to prevent her mother from having a cow.

His eyes lowered as the condom slid over the hard skin, his hand reaching up to brush the hair out of his eyes.

"Ready?" His fingers ran over her knee gently, the contact making her jerk. She smiled up at him, nervousness flashing across her gorgeous face.

Marinettes' eyes screwed shut as he pressed against her. The feeling was foreign and incredibly tight. He leaned down, kissing her mouth, her cheeks, her nose, kissing away the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. He settled himself deep within her, straining as he let her adjust herself to him.

"Can I move?" His head pressed into the crook of her neck. He felt her nod as he pulled out, pushing back into her slowly. She couldn't ignore the pinching feeling in her gut every time he buried himself inside her.

He settled into a slow and steady rhythm, her pain lessening with each stroke of his hips. The feeling in the base of their spines began building slowly, the springs coiling within their bellies, ready to explode. His thumb reached down them, brushing against the sensitive bud of nerves between her spread thighs.

She tensed, biting into the palm of her hand as the painfully pleasing experience finished her off. Adrien watched as her eyes rolled back, her chest arching upwards. The dazed look she gave him as she came down from her thigh was all he needed to spend himself into the condom, his breathing ragged as he pressed his lips against hers once more.

The two lay there for a moment, basking in each other's presence.

"How was it?" He smirked up at her.

"Perfect."

"Like me?"

"Easy kitty."


End file.
